Friends and business partners, Jason Searle and Bill Downie, have long been producing wine under their Save Our Souls label. Only recently have they dappled in making a Sangiovese with fruit from the Yarra Valley. The recognisable cross on the label is differentiated from the rest with the use of flocking on the label, which achieves a texture of velvet under your fingertips where once it was smooth. Good for grip and excellent if you are in the mood for caressing a bottle.

This delicious wine pours with a warm garnet red in the glass and is defined by aromas of black cherry, violets, slate and cassia bark. This medium-bodied wine screams for cured meats or pizza, with a more savoury palate showing notes of black cherry liqueur to start with a fine tannin finish.

[This article was first printed in the latest Summer/Autumn newsletter for my workplace. I have adjusted it to be a little more casual for LDdV.]

Castello di Ama is a unique place, a fusion of art and vines, located in the heart of the historical zone of Chianti Classico in Gaiole. The 90 hectares of vineyards sit high up in the quiet hamlet of Ama, surrounded by rolling hills of calcareous soil full of shale and large rocks. This land is what defines the Castello di Ama terroir and makes it such an inimitable landscape for vines. The property is run by Lorenza Sebasti and her highly skilled winemaking husband and former President of the local consorzio, Marco Pallanti. Together they are ambassadors for the great wines of Chianti Classico.

I recently spent a week up in the sun-drenched town of Mildura as an associate judge for the Australian Alternative Varietal Wine Show. In the lead up I found myself embracing all things alternative, delicious and interesting.

“Brunello, exceedingly elegant and vibrant, with more complexity than muscle, won my heart.” – Kerin O’Keefe, from ‘Brunello di Montalcino’

Last week I hosted a tasting with Mark Protheroe looking at twenty-two Brunello di Montalcino wines of the 2007 vintage. The aim was to provide a thorough spread of producers to highlight the differences between the unofficial sub-regions of the Montalcino area. Below are some brief tasting notes and detailed information of the tasting, including what I wrote for the tasting booklet. If you do read right until the end, you may come across an interesting character with beady red eyes that some like to refer to as ‘Suckzilla’. You have been warned…

For most of the people who stumble across this blog, the reference in today’s title may be lost. However if you were a young lass like me in the ’90s, you’d be well aware of this ol’ chestnut and the theme song’s tag line, “Say hello to your friends“. It also inspired this:

Photograph from the 1995 film ‘Baby-Sitters Club’

What is with my infatuation with Brunello di Montalcino of late?

Well there is an event that I am organising with Grossi restaurant’s wine buyer, Mark Protheroe, under the Sommeliers Australia umbrella. We have organised a grand total of twenty-one wines, some of which have come directly from the Brunello Consorzio and are thus unavailable in the country. They all hail from the 2007 vintage and will be available at this one tasting.

During June’s waxing crescent moon and under the watchful eye of team Bibemus, fourteen Italophiles converged in the darkness outside the Carlton Wine Room and craned their necks towards the sparkling night sky.

Together they chanted:

Adapted by La Donna del Vino

The stars twinkled back at the happy group. Their wish would be granted.

Penfolds Grange is unquestionably Australia’s most famous red wine and has reached celestial heights in terms of adoration and expectation. From its experimental inception in 1951 by winemaker Max Schubert, Grange has been lovingly crafted to shine as a uniquely Australian wine of longevity, power and class.

“Grange’s aesthetic quality and remarkable aging potential is the stuff of legends.”

Andrew Caillard MW

In line with the 20-year celebration of the Melbourne Food & Wine Festival, an event was arranged that could commemorate the significance of this anniversary. Two bottles each of Penfolds Grange 1971 and 1976 (tested by the clinic in 2011) were obtained from a close friend of the owner of my workplace. The extensive museum Italian wine list was pulled out for perusal. It was like being a kid in a candy store as eight other wines were chosen that hail from Italy which would sit alongside Australia’s most iconic wine. The wines selected are classified in the upper echelon of quality and come from the most respected producers. These include rare wines such as Ceretto Bricco Rocche Barolo Brunate 1990, Produttori del Barbaresco Montefico 1985, Mastrojanni Brunello di Montalcino Schiena d’Asino 1990, Tedeschi Amarone della Valpolicella ‘Monte Olmi’ 1991, Castello di Ama Chianti Classico 1997 and even the famous Toscana IGT wine Antinori’s Tignanello 1985 and Bolgheri’s inimitable Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia DOC 1987.

In total, the combined age of these wines is over 200 years. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and one that I feel privileged to have been able to pour at. Below is a visual diary of the evening with small commentary made as to the condition of the wines.

Sorrenberg’s Barry Morey’s humble offerings earn praise year after year, whether it is for his Sauvignon Blanc/ Semillon, or his stunning Chardonnay which I tend to pine for every so often. His latest Gamay continues this strong tradition. Intriguingly it contains a small portion of Pinot Noir to combine two French styles of Beaujolais and Burgundy. The result is seamless but remarkably distinct with red berry aromatics tied to a hint of fresh cherry. For something made in the depths of a cellar underneath Barry’s house, the wine is a true delight said by those who know all about it.

S C PANNELL Nebbiolo 2007

Adelaide Hills, South Australia

In January 2011 Steve Pannell spread the Aussie love with his ‘All for One Wine’ campaign promoting Australian wines. With so many grape variety options here in Australia and to align myself for a moment with SC Pannell’s thinking, why would I venture overseas just for the day?! (Rheotorical question DO NOT ANSWER!).

OK, so be warned. I am a self-confessed Neb-head. For a variety that some would say is more easily misunderstood than appreciated, I am an ardent advocate of the Nebbiolo grape. The 2007 is classic in style from the autumnal colour, to the delicate red fruits that are beginning to edge into a more savoury tone. The picture is completed by the wonderfully high acidity that is balanced by its lashing of tannin and palate weight. Steve Pannell really is an exceptional producer of this complex variety. Share the Aussie love if you wish.

VINEA MARSON Sangiovese 2008

Heathcote, Victoria

“When the world seems to shine like you’ve had too much wine…” – The dear Dean Martin

As the Best Italian Varietal for the 2011 Good Wine Guide, Mario Marson’s most recent vintage provides the perfect template from which to benchmark great Aussie Sangiovese. A backbone of freshly picked cherries with hints of bramble and a lick of vanilla are complemented by a taut acidity, firm tannic kick and almond meal finish. Get on it.

GROSSET Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2010

Clare Valley, South Australia

For their nineteenth vintage, Grosset has continued to drive for distinction, undoubtedly (and enviably) having one of the best styles in the country. Made from 60% Clare Valley Semillon and 40% Adelaide Hills Sauvignon Blanc, this blend never disappoints in its flavoursome offering of tight citrus and pristine stone fruit perfumes. The overall lemon core provides the generous length and mouthwatering texture. A wine of this intensity will further evolve in the glass so don’t drink it too quickly!

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